




The inaugural Opal Evolution Festival, held from October 4–6, 2024, in Andamooka, marked the vibrant launch of a new regional arts and culture celebration in South Australia’s outback. This grassroots event brought together local creatives, regional SA artists, and the broader community through a dynamic program of art, light, music, and storytelling, laying the foundation for a nationally recognised event by 2027, when Andamooka will host the Australian Opal Symposium.
Conceived by Leila and developed with OSCA – Open Space Contemporary Arts and Artistic Director Paul Gazzola, the festival highlighted Andamooka’s unique connections to opal mining, opalised fossils, and deep geological time linked to the Eromanga Sea. Festival highlights included a giant street parade, UV light projections, kids’ activities, live music, and workshops in projection, costume-making, and inflatable sculpture—all set against Andamooka’s spectacular desert landscape.
As part of the 2024 Nature Festival, Opal Evolution attracted regional and statewide attention, with its strong emphasis on community engagement, environmental connection, and cross-disciplinary arts practice.
Project Artists included:
Leila Day, Paul Gazzola, Nic Mollison, Amber Archdale, Tony Hannan, and Laura Wills.
Project Partners:
Arts South Australia, Country Arts SA, Creative Partnerships Australia, Lang Family Foundation, Foundation SA, Nature Festival SA, Alliance Airlines, BHP Olympic Dam, Roxby Council, Roxby Link, Cellarbrations Andamooka, Rotary Club of Roxby District, Woomera Observatory, Andamooka Observatory, Andamooka Opal Fields Tourism Association, Cal the Stoner, and BSH.
For more information: Contact Leila Day at 0466 265 377